“Yes, but then you would have come back and I could have sold you the ion-scoop for twice as much!” the Mistress said. “I admit, it isn’t very nice, but a girl has to make a living, doesn’t she? And besides, now I’m offering to give it to you for free and all you have to do to get it is come to tea with me and give Kalis a chance to serve you.”
Jillian wavered for a moment. This was all getting too complicated for her and what if the other woman was lying?
But what if she’s telling the truth and you really do need that damn ion-scoop to get into the thaelite? whispered a little voice in her head. Then what will you do? The VIP dinner is tomorrow night—you don’t have time to make another trip out here to the market. There’s a hell of a lot of prepping to get done!
“All right,” she said reluctantly. “I’ll come to tea with you, but I want it very clearly understood that’s all I’m promising. At the end of this ‘tea,’ you will give me the ion-scoop for free and we will part ways. I do not promise to take, er, Kalis with me.” She cast a glance at the big bodyslave. “No offense.”
“None taken, little Mistress,” he rumbled. “I understand your reluctance to take me with you—I haven’t proved myself to you yet.”
Jillian thought about telling him there was no way he could prove himself enough for her to agree to own him and be responsible for him. After all, she couldn’t bring home a bodyslave like a lost puppy—even if he was a Kindred—albeit a kind she’d never seen before.
Also, the Yonnite Mistress had said he was registered as a deadly weapon—what if that meant he was some kind of serial killer or something? Not that she’d ever heard of a Kindred serial killer—they were supposed to be very supportive and respectful of women. But they were in uncharted territory here and Jillian was simply not prepared to take any crazy risks.
I’m too old for this shit, she thought, rubbing her forehead tiredly. I shouldn’t even be going to tea with her, but I don’t want to come back here just for that damn ion-scoop!
But the Yonnite Mistress seemed to think that everything was going to be all right now. She was all smiles and sunshine.
“Fine, that’s fine—just come to tea with me,” she chirped happily. “Come on, right this way.” And she held open the brocade curtains to her booth, beckoning Jillian inside.
Jillian frowned, not budging.
“Is the tea brewing in your booth? Why can’t we stand right here and drink it?”
“Heavens forefend! Drink it right here in the street like savages? Impossible! One cannot have a proper tea without a bit of pampering,” the Mistress exclaimed.
“Pampering?” Jillian looked at her blankly.
“Yes, pampering. I go to a very exclusive spa at center of the market to have my tea,” the Mistress said primly. “It’s only for Yonnites and their bodyslaves but now that you have a bodyslave yourself, you can get in!”
“I don’t own a bodyslave!” Jillian protested, still holding her ground. “And do you really expect me to believe the way to an exclusive spa is through your stall?”
“Of course not!” The Mistress looked offended. “The spa itself is not here—but being a Yonnite, I do have an exclusive way to it—as do all Yonnites who live and work here on Prius Six. It’s quite hidden and there’s no getting to it if you don’t have a doorway leading into it.”
“Seriously?” Jillian looked at the big bodyslave, wanting confirmation for this elaborate tale the Yonnite woman was spinning.
“She does have a special door which leads exclusively to the Yonnite spa, little Mistress,” Kalis rumbled, nodding. “And she is telling the truth—no one who doesn’t have such a door installed in her booth or stall can get to the spa. It’s near the center of the market,” he added.
Jillian didn’t know why, but she trusted the big Kindred much more than she trusted the Yonnite Mistress. She believed he was telling the truth. Of course, now it seemed that the simple cup of tea she’d agreed to had turned into a fancy spa day, which was considerably more than she’d bargained for.
But if it’s near the center of the market, I can go right over to the Master of the Market and complain if she won’t give me the ion-scoop or insists that I take Kalis with me, she thought.
“All right,” she said grudgingly. “I’ll go with you—but give me the ion-scoop first.”
“Oh, very well, but then you must come,” the Mistress said sulkily. “Come on—it’s in the back of my stall, along with the door.”
She held open the gold brocade curtain and shook it impatiently, glaring at Jillian.